Festival start: 28 May 2026
Festival end: 06 June 2026
The International Film and Human Rights Festival - HUMANS FEST, held in Valencia since 2008, is one of the main initiatives promoted by the Fundación por la Justicia. Its aim is to bring audiovisual culture closer to both the general public and especially vulnerable audiences, while advocating for human rights and denouncing their violations worldwide. Additionally, it features a series of activities with a social focus.
The 17th edition of HUMANS FEST will take place from May 28 to June 6, 2026.
Cash Prizes: 3,850€
Humans Fic Section:
Best International Fiction Feature Film Award: €1,200
Best International Fiction Short Film Award: €400
Feature films are defined as films with a minimum running time of 60 minutes. Short films must not exceed 30 minutes in length.
Humans Doc Section:
Best International Documentary Feature Film Award: €1,200
Best International Documentary Short Film Award: €400
Feature films are defined as films with a minimum running time of 60 minutes. Short films must not exceed 30 minutes in length.
Valencian Short film Section:
Section dedicated to Valencian fiction and documentary short films addressing human rights.
Short films will be considered Valencian if the majority of the production team is Valencian.
The purpose of this award is to promote local audiovisual culture committed to human rights. Short films must not exceed 30 minutes in length.
Best Valencian Short Film Award: €400
“One Minute, One Right”:
Micro-short films of up to 1 minute and 30 seconds (credits included) addressing any aspect of human rights and made by students.
This is a traditional section of HUMANS FEST aimed at promoting human rights and audiovisual culture among Valencian students. Participation is carried out through agreements with schools, high schools, universities in the Valencian Community, as well as film schools. Individual participation is also allowed, provided that applicants can demonstrate they are currently enrolled in formal education.
“One Minute, One Right” Award: €250
Within the framework of the festival, there will be other awards without financial remuneration, such as the EDAV Award, granted by the Associació d’Escriptors de l’Audiovisual Valencià, for the best Valencian short film screenplay.
17th Valencia International Film and Human Rights Festival
HUMANS FEST 2026
OBJECTIVES
The International Film and Human Rights Festival – HUMANS FEST, held in Valencia since 2008, is one of the main activities promoted by Fundación por la Justicia (Justice Foundation).
The aim of the festival is to bring audiovisual culture closer to both the general public and particularly vulnerable audiences, as well as to promote the defense of human rights and to denounce human rights violations around the world.
DATES
The 17th edition of HUMANS FEST will take place from May 28 to June 6, 2026.
3. VENUE AND CONTACT DETAILS
FUNDACIÓN POR LA JUSTICIA
Carrer de Ripalda, 16, ground floor
46003 Valencia (Spain)
Phone: +34 961 04 73 35
https://fundacionporlajusticia.org/humansfest/
humansfest@fundacionporlajusticia.org
info@fundacionporlajusticia.org
4. SECTIONS AND AWARDS
Humans Fic Section
Best International Fiction Feature Film Award: €1,200
Best International Fiction Short Film Award: €400
Feature films are considered those with a minimum duration of 60 minutes. Short films must not exceed 30 minutes.
Humans Doc Section
Best International Documentary Feature Film Award: €1,200
Best International Documentary Short Film Award: €400
Feature films are considered those with a minimum duration of 60 minutes. Short films must not exceed 30 minutes.
Best Valencian Short Film Award: €400
Valencian short films competing for the Best International Fiction Short Film or Best International Documentary Short Film Awards will automatically be eligible for an additional award, the Best Valencian Short Film Award, endowed with €400.
Valencian short films are defined as those whose production team is mostly Valencian. The purpose of this award is to promote local audiovisual culture committed to human rights.
Short films must meet the requirements of the Fiction or Documentary category under which they are submitted.
“One Minute, One Right”
Competition for micro-short films of up to 1 minute and 30 seconds (credits included) addressing any aspect of human rights.
Films must be made by students at any educational level, provided they can prove they are enrolled in formal education anywhere in Spain.
If the micro-short films are made in a co-official language other than Spanish or Valencian/Catalan, they must be subtitled in Spanish.
This is a traditional HUMANS FEST section aimed at promoting human rights and audiovisual culture among students from schools, high schools, universities, and film schools. Historically held exclusively in the Valencian Community, this year it is open for the first time to nationwide participation.
“One Minute, One Right” Award: €250
In addition, there will be other awards without monetary compensation, such as the EDAV Award, granted by the Associació d’Escriptors de l’Audiovisual Valencià, for the best Valencian short film screenplay.
5. THEME
All competitive categories of HUMANS FEST 2026 will accept works dealing with any subject related to the promotion and defense of human rights.
Works submitted to the categories of international documentary feature film, international fiction feature film, international documentary short film, international fiction short film, and the “One Minute, One Right” section must address issues related to human rights as established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with an emphasis on an intersectional perspective.
6. SUBMISSION
Film submissions must be made through the Festhome platform (www.festhome.com
) and will cost €2.
The submission period for international documentary feature films, international fiction feature films, international documentary short films, international fiction short films, and the “Curt i barrejat” section will run from December 30, 2025 to March 16, 2026.
For the “One Minute, One Right” section, submission will be free of charge, with a deadline of April 26, 2026.
Submissions may be made through Festhome (www.festhome.com
) or by emailing the films with delivery receipt to the HUMANS FEST 2026 organizing team at humansfest@fundacionporlajusticia.org
.
7. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
All projects submitted to the official selection must meet the following requirements:
The production must be completed after January 1, 2025.
Films must not have been previously screened in the city of Valencia in public venues, DVD/Blu-ray, video, television, or made freely available online.
Screening copies must meet the technical requirements of each festival section.
Films must be subtitled in English, Spanish, or Valencian/Catalan.
8. JURIES
The Festival direction will appoint the juries for each section, who will act independently and whose role will be to grant the awards listed above after viewing and analyzing the screenings.
Each jury will be composed of professionals with expertise in audiovisual creation and/or human rights, combining artistic and social criteria.
For the “One Minute, One Right” section, the award will be decided by the audience (popular jury).
9. ACCEPTED WORKS
If selected, films must submit copies in the following formats:
Feature films: DCP format, either on physical media or via digital download link. Shipping costs for physical copies must be covered by the participant. Return shipping costs will be covered by the Festival.
Short films: MP4 format, submitted electronically.
If the film is not Spanish-speaking, the Spanish subtitle file (.srt) must be sent in advance via downloadable link or attachment for electronic subtitling.
Selected films may not be withdrawn once the official selection has been announced. Films may be screened in special festival sessions with prior consent from the authors.
The Festival may use excerpts of selected works for promotional purposes in any HUMANS FEST media (printed program, press, internet, social media, trailers, etc.).
Micro-short films submitted to the “One Minute, One Right” section must include a document stating the name of the educational institution, course and academic year of the creators, title of the film, synopsis, and names of the members of the creative team.
10. AWARDS
Awards will be paid by bank transfer. The prize amounts (including VAT) will be subject to the applicable taxes and withholdings in accordance with current legislation.
Decisions made by the Selection Committee and the juries are final and non-appealable. Winning projects will be announced at the Closing Gala of the 17th Valencia International Film and Human Rights Festival.
Award-winning films authorize the Festival to screen the work once as part of the Winners’ Showcase, exclusively for cultural and non-commercial purposes, with prior notification to the producers.
Award-winning films must mention the prize obtained at the International Film and Human Rights Festival – HUMANS FEST on all posters, promotional materials, publicity, and in the credits of copies released in Spain, whether for theatrical exhibition or home formats (DVD, Blu-ray, etc.) and other platforms.
11. ACCEPTANCE OF THE RULES
Submission of works implies full acceptance of these rules. Interpretation and application of these rules lie exclusively with the festival organizers.
For further information or inquiries, please contact humansfest@fundacionporlajusticia.org
.
12. PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION
Applicants expressly consent to the processing of their personal data (as indicated on the Festhome form) and to its publication in any media used to communicate results and to properly manage this call.
In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Organic Law 3/2018 of December 5 on Personal Data Protection and the guarantee of digital rights, personal data provided will be used exclusively for the purposes of managing and executing this call.
No data will be shared with third parties except where legally required.
International documentary
Feature Films >60' (2025+)
Standard Fee2€ -8% 1.84€ PRO 23% 1.54€
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Submissions deadline
16 Mar 26
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0.46€
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a) The minimum duration of the documentaries will be 60 minutes and whose theme is related to human rights.
b) The film must be unreleased in the city of Valencia.
c) An independent jury will determine the First Prize valued at €1,000.
d) Project registration will have a fee of €2.
International Short Film
Short Films 30'< (2025+)
Standard Fee2€ -8% 1.84€ PRO 23% 1.54€
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Submissions deadline
16 Mar 26
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0.46€
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a) The maximum duration of fiction short films will be 30 minutes and whose theme is related to human rights.
b) The film must be unreleased in the city of Valencia.
c) An independent jury will determine the First Prize for Best Fiction Short Film valued at €400.
d) Project registration will have a fee of €2.
Valencian Short Films
Short Films >2' 30'< (2025+)
Standard Fee2€ -8% 1.84€ PRO 23% 1.54€
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Submissions deadline
16 Mar 26
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0.46€
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a) Only short films produced in the Valencian Community at least 30% may participate.
b) The maximum duration of the short films will be 30 minutes and the thematic axis is open to all human rights, included in the Universal Declaration.
c) The film must be unreleased in the city of Valencia.
d) An independent jury will determine the First Prize valued at €400.
e) The registration cost will have a fee of €2. If they wish and if they meet the requirements, production companies may simultaneously register their works in the international section and in the Valencian short film section but, if selected, it will only be screened in one of the sections.
Building Peace in One Minute
Short Films 2'< (2025+)
No Fee
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Submissions deadline
26 Apr 26
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0€
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a) Short films created in both formal and informal educational institutions within the Valencian Community are eligible to participate.
b) The maximum duration is 1 minute and 30 seconds, including credits, and the theme must be related to human rights, particularly the focus of this edition: topics related to “armed conflicts and a culture of peace,” as described in point 4 of these guidelines.
c) The submission deadline is April 30, 2025.
d) The award will be decided by public vote.
e) There is no registration fee.
f) Projects can be submitted through Festhome or by emailing the final copy, including the title of the work and the author’s name, to humans@humansfest.com.
g) The Best Project ‘One Minute, One Right’ award is valued at €250 and will be selected by public voting during the Festival dates.
Feature Film
Feature Films >60' (2025+)
Standard Fee2€ -8% 1.84€ PRO 23% 1.54€
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
16 Mar 26
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0.46€
Submit
a) The minimum duration of the feature films will be 60 minutes and whose theme is related to human rights.
b) The film must be unreleased in the city of Valencia.
c) An independent jury will determine the First Prize valued at €1,000.
d) The EDAV screenwriters' association will determine the award for the best script, without a financial award.
e) Project registration will have a fee of €2.
International Documentary Short Film
Short Films 30'< (2025+)
Standard Fee2€ -8% 1.84€ PRO 23% 1.54€
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
16 Mar 26
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0.46€
Submit
a) The maximum duration of the documentary short films will be 30 minutes and whose theme is related to human rights.
b) The film must be unreleased in the city of Valencia.
c) An independent jury will determine the First Prize for Best Documentary Short Film valued at €400.
d) Project registration will cost €2.
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods.
-8%
1.84€
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods. 